Campbell's Field

Ground was broken for the ballpark on June 15, 1999, with former New Jersey governor Christine Todd Whitman in attendance. Campbell's Field was funded by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, a loan from the Delaware River Port Authority, a grant from Rutgers University, and private financing obtained by the builder, Quaker Construction. During construction, the stadium was owned by the Cooper's Ferry Development Association. Upon completion, it became the property of Rutgers, which signed a lease with Camden Baseball, LLC to operate the stadium in conjunction with the Atlantic League.{{cite news |first=Jayne |last=O'Connor |author2=Gene Herman |title=Governor Breaks Ground for Ballpark; Unveils Battleship New Jersey |date=June 15, 2000 |publisher=Office of the Governor |url=http://www.nj.gov/transportation/about/press/2000/061500.shtm |access-date=January 22, 2009}}

The new ballpark involved a $24 million construction project that included $7 million for environmental remediation costs. Prior to construction, Campbell's Field was a vacant, undeveloped parcel of land that historically housed businesses that included the Campbell Soup Company Plant No. 2, Pennsylvania & Reading Rail Road's Linden Street Freight Station, David Baird & Company's lumber mill and Eavenson & Sons’ soap manufacturing company.{{cite web |url=http://www.nj.gov/dep/srp/publications/brownfields/2001/07_camden.htm |title=Historic Camden Waterfront Redevelopment Includes Entertainment, Recreation and Residential Projects Bringing New Jobs and Visitors |year=2001 |work=NJ Brownfields Redevelopment Update 2001 – Efforts – Camden |publisher=New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection |access-date=December 22, 2010}}

Campbell's Field opened in May 2001, and was one of the projects designed to spark urban renewal in Camden. The ballpark was honored in 2003 by DigitalBallparks.com and in 2004 by Baseball America as the "Ballpark of the Year." Campbell's Field was honored with several local awards, including the Camden County Improvement Authority Entertainment Award in 2000, the International Masonry Institute Golden Trowel Award in 2001, the Urban Land Institute's Award for Excellence in 2002, the Downtown New Jersey Excellence Award, the New Jersey Business and Industry Association Good Neighbor Award, and the Distinguished Award for Engineering Excellence given by the Consulting Engineers Council of New Jersey in 2003.{{Cite web |url=http://www.clarkecatonhintz.com/project_84/ |title=Clarke Caton Hintz page on Campbell's Field |access-date=July 29, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070809102904/http://www.clarkecatonhintz.com/project_84/ |archive-date=August 9, 2007}}

In April 2009, Campbell Soup announced that it would continue to have its name on the ballpark at least through 2020.{{cite news |title=Business News in Brief: Campbell to buy N.J. bakery |date=April 3, 2009 |url=http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/20090403_Business_news_in_brief.html |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=September 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090406122307/http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/20090403_Business_news_in_brief.html |archive-date=April 6, 2009}}

In 2011 Campbell's Field is where the United States national rugby league team achieved victory in the Atlantic pool of 2013 Rugby League World Cup qualifying, booking the nation's first ever Rugby League World Cup appearance.{{cite web |url=http://www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=40536 |title=Venue announced for 2013 World Cup Atlantic Qualifiers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026145635/http://www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=40536 |archive-date=October 26, 2012 |website=rleague.com - The World of Rugby League |date=August 4, 2011}}

The stadium's financing totaled $35 million in loans and bonds from banks and various state and county public agencies, including the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (which issued a $7 million bond), the Delaware River Port Authority (a $6.5 million loan) and Rutgers University ($2 million). Threatened with foreclosure in 2015 amid millions of dollars in outstanding rental fees, the Camden County Improvement Authority (CCIA) acquired the property for $3.5 million and came to agreement on a 15-year deal with the team to repay the money through ticket surcharges, though the demise of the Riversharks later that year meant that only one payment was made towards that surcharge. While the stadium incurred annual debt service payments of $300,000, the facility brought in $100,000 in annual revenue, mostly from Rutgers University for rental fees for the Rutgers University–Camden Scarlet Raptors baseball team to use the stadium as its home field.{{cite news |last=Duhart |first=Bill |url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2017/11/whoosh_how_35_million_from_taxpayer_flushed_with_d.html#incart_river_mobile_home |title=The downward spiral of a $21M baseball stadium built on taxpayers' backs, explained. |work=NJ.com |date=November 12, 2017 |access-date=November 13, 2017 |quote=While Norcross has said $35 million was spent on the stadium, public records show about $21 million was spent through a combination of direct loans and bonds floated through a private bank. The state Economic Development Authority issued a $7 million bond through Santander Bank, which was known then as Sovereign Bank, along with a direct loan of $2 million. That was added to $6.5 million loan from the Delaware River Port Authority, $2 million from Rutgers and $3.7 million in equity financing.}}{{cite news |last=Walsh |first=Jim |url=http://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/local/south-jersey/2015/04/03/camden-riversharks-ccia-rutgers/70859962/ |title=CCIA agrees to buy Campbell's Field |newspaper=Courier-Post |date=April 2, 2015 |access-date=November 13, 2017 |quote=The Camden County Improvement Authority has agreed to buy Campbell's Field, the Waterfront stadium that's home to the Camden Riversharks. The pending $3.5 million purchase is intended to resolve a lawsuit filed in 2013 by Santander Bank N.A., chief financier of the 6,700-seat ballpark in the shadow of the Ben Franklin Bridge.}}

In October 2015, after failing to reach an agreement with CCIA on the revised terms of a lease agreement, the stadium's primary professional tenant, the Camden Riversharks, ceased operations.{{cite news |url=http://6abc.com/sports/riversharks-end-operations-in-camden-after-15-years--/1044516/ |title=Riversharks end operations in Camden after 15 years |work=WPVI-TV |date=October 21, 2015 |access-date=November 13, 2017 |quote=After 15 years, the Camden Riversharks will shut down operations at Campbell's Field - effective immediately - the club announced on Wednesday. The decision came due to the inability to reach an agreement on lease terms with the ballpark's owner, the Camden County Improvement Authority.}}

In September 2018, a contractor was awarded the $1.1 million task of demolishing the stadium. Stadium demolition started in mid-December 2018. The site was to be redeveloped by spring 2020 as a new athletic complex to include a home for Rutgers–Camden baseball.{{cite news |last1=Duhart |first1=Bill |title=It'll cost $1M to tear down failed baseball stadium built with $21M in public funds |url=https://www.nj.com/camden/index.ssf/2018/12/campbells_field_riversharks_demolition_camden.html |access-date=December 4, 2018 |work=NJ.com |date=December 3, 2018}} Demolition and surface preparation for the new complex was funded by the city of Camden and Rutgers University.{{Cite news |url=https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/local/south-jersey/2018/11/16/camden-riversharks-stadium-torn-down-soon/2017975002/ |title=Demolition contract means end in sight for Campbell's Field |last=Trethan |first=Phaedra |date=November 16, 2018 |website=Courier-Post |language=en |access-date=January 26, 2020}} The $16 million athletic complex, called Camden Athletic Fields, officially opened on May 2, 2022.{{cite news |last1=Trethan |first1=Phaedra |title=Rutgers, city officially open new athletic complex on Camden Waterfront |url=https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/2022/05/02/camden-athletic-complex-city-and-rutgers-officially-opens-campbells-field-sports/9613942002/ |access-date=May 1, 2023 |newspaper=Courier-Post |location=Cherry Hill, New Jersey |date=May 2, 2022 |language=en}}

From its opening in 2001 through 2018, Campbell's Field hosted home games for the Rutgers–Camden Scarlet Raptors baseball team.

On July 14, 2004, Campbell's Field hosted the Atlantic League All-Star Game.{{cite news| title=Atlantic League All Star Game Managers Announced| date=July 5, 2004| publisher=Camden Riversharks| url=http://www.riversharks.com/news/index.cfm?news_id=80| access-date=January 22, 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608062536/http://www.riversharks.com/news/index.cfm?news_id=80| archive-date=June 8, 2011| url-status=dead| df=mdy-all}} In that 2004 All-Star Game, the North Division beat the South Division, 10–8.{{Cite web|url=http://atlanticleague.com/about/history/|title=Atlantic League Professional Baseball: History|website=atlanticleague.com|language=en|access-date=April 26, 2017|archive-date=April 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427192059/http://atlanticleague.com/about/history/|url-status=dead}} Kevin Baez of the Long Island Ducks won the All-Star Game MVP. Attendance was 6,234. Campbell's Field once again played host to the Atlantic League All-Star Game in 2012, when the Freedom Division beat the Liberty Division, 9–5. Fehlandt Lentini of the Lancaster Barnstormers won the All-Star Game MVP. Attendance was 7,619.

The ballpark also hosted the 2008 Atlantic 10 Conference baseball tournament,{{cite news| title=Rhode Island: Hagey and Zaneski Named to Atlantic 10 Baseball All-Conference Team| date=May 20, 2008| publisher=NCAA.com| url=https://www.ncaa.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/052008aby.html| access-date=January 22, 2009}}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} in which the University of North Carolina-Charlotte defeated Xavier University in the championship game to win the tournament.{{cite news|title=Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament, Camden, NJ |date=May 25, 2008 |publisher=NCAA-Baseball.com |url=http://www.ncaa-baseball.com/2008/tournies2008.htm |access-date=January 22, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211234341/http://www.ncaa-baseball.com/2008/tournies2008.htm |archive-date=February 11, 2009 }} The field also hosted the tournament in 2010 and 2011, with Saint Louis winning in 2010 and Charlotte in 2011.{{cite web|title=Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Record Book |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/atl10/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/Baseball_Records_thru2011.pdf |work=CSTV |publisher=Atlantic 10 Conference |access-date=February 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619004417/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/atl10/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/Baseball_Records_thru2011.pdf |archive-date=June 19, 2013 |page=12 |url-status=dead }} The St. Joseph's University baseball team played six games at Campbell's Field in 2009 and its entire home schedule in 2010. The Saint Joseph's baseball program made the park its full-time home until the completion of its on-campus facility in 2012.{{cite web |title=Facilities: Campbell's Field |url=http://www.sjuhawks.com/facilities/stjs-campbells-field.html |work=The Official Athletic Site |publisher=St. Joseph's University |access-date=September 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716081404/http://www.sjuhawks.com/facilities/stjs-campbells-field.html |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |url-status=dead }}

Temple University played all but one of their conference games at Campbell's Field for the 2014 season, which would be their last season.{{cite web |title=Temple Baseball Owlsports.com |url=http://www.owlsports.com/news/2013/11/7/BB_1107132707.aspx?path=baseball |work=The Official Athletic Site |publisher=Temple University |access-date=April 21, 2014}}

As part of its naming rights contract, the concessions at Campbell's Field featured several Campbell's Soup Company products such as V8 beverages, Pace salsa, and Pepperidge Farm rolls and snacks.{{cite news |first=Kevin |last=Reichard |title=Riversharks, Campbell's announce naming-rights extension |date=April 2, 2009 |publisher=August Publications |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/200904021689/independent-baseball/news/riversharks-campbells-announce-naming-rights-extension |access-date=April 3, 2009 |work=Ballpark Digest}} A traditional ballpark menu was also available, with hot dogs produced by the Philadelphia-based Dietz & Watson Inc. Additional options were available at the Picnic Pavilion, that included items from a local barbecue restaurant called Fat Jack's BBQ. The Flying Fish Brewing Company, based in nearby Cherry Hill, sold beer in the pub area.{{cite news| title=Fat Jack's Picnic Area| date=March 2, 2009| publisher=Camden Riversharks| url=http://www.riversharks.com/tickets/picnics.cfm| access-date=January 2, 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225114830/http://www.riversharks.com/tickets/picnics.cfm| archive-date=February 25, 2009| url-status=dead| df=mdy-all}}

The Fun Zone was a children's playground. It was hosted by the Riversharks mascot, Finley, and included a carousel and inflatables.

Campbell's Field offered multiple seating options for its patrons. The Diamond Café included a gourmet buffet, with a waiting service, and views of the Philadelphia skyline and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The Skyline & Bridge Suites, private rooms available for conferences or meetings, also offered skyline views and catering.

In 2011, Campbell's Field hosted the Atlantic Qualifiers tournament for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. The competition ran from October 15 to 23 and was contested by the United States, South Africa, and Jamaica.{{cite web |url= http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/11/08/03/RUGBYL_USA.html&BID=480 |title= New Jersey to host qualifier |date=September 27, 2011 |work= sportinglife.com }} The United States won the tournament to gain a spot in the World Cup for the first time in its history.{{cite web |url= http://www.wearerugby.com/news/articles/usa-advances-world-cup |title= USA Advances to World Cup |author= RLEF Media |date= October 23, 2011 |work= wearerugby.com }}

On June 16, 2005, Bob Dylan performed at the stadium during his 2005 North American Tour.

On June 5, 2009, Campbell's Field hosted the popular hip-hop artists T-Pain & Flo Rida.{{cite news| title=Fat Jack's Picnic Area| date=April 8, 2009| publisher=Camden Riversharks| url=http://www.riversharks.com/news/?news_id=889| access-date=April 8, 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423063541/http://www.riversharks.com/news/?news_id=889| archive-date=April 23, 2009| url-status=dead| df=mdy-all}}

{{wide image|Campbell's Field, Camden, New Jersey.jpg|1000px|Panoramic view of the Campbell's Field taken in 2012}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080509075952/http://www.riversharks.com/campbellsfield.cfm Camden Riversharks: Campbell's Field]
• [http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/Camden/Athletics/baseball Rutgers–Camden baseball] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040404112747/http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/Camden/Athletics/baseball/ |date=April 4, 2004 }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110716081404/http://www.sjuhawks.com/facilities/stjs-campbells-field.html St. Joseph's University: Campbell's Field]
• [http://www.ballparkreviews.com/camden/camden.htm Ballpark Reviews: Campbell's Field]
• {{cite news |last1=Chinchilla |first1=Rudy |title=Field of Broken Dreams: What Campbell's Field Looks Like Now, 8 photos |url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Field-Broken-Dreams-Campbells-Looks-Now-504939272.html |access-date=January 28, 2019 |publisher=NBC10 - Philadelphia |date=January 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128083222/https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Field-Broken-Dreams-Campbells-Looks-Now-504939272.html |archive-date=January 28, 2019}}
• [http://www.minorleagueballparks.com/camp_nj.html Minor League Ballparks: Campbell's Field] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060521033451/http://www.minorleagueballparks.com/camp_nj.html |date=May 21, 2006 }}
• {{cite web |title=Campbell's Field – Clarke Caton Hintz |url=https://clarkecatonhintz.com/project/campbells-field/}}

{{Campbell Soup Company}}

{{Saint Joseph's University}}

{{Camden, New Jersey}}

Category:Camden Riversharks

Category:Minor league baseball venues

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Category:Campbell's

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